Generic clear aligners that claim to straighten a smile with the same technology as Invisalign at a lower price may have you considering an off-brand treatment to save some money. But is attempting to straighten your smile without ever seeing a dentist or orthodontist really a good idea?
Before you commit to any brand of aligners for a straighter smile, it’s essential for you to have a closer look at the products offered. Are off-brand aligners as good as Invisalign?
Generic Aligner Overview
While generic aligners may potentially have some success stories with minor tooth straightening, they are not designed or safe for addressing complex bite issues or malocclusions. In fact, using generic aligners with no supervision can cause more severe dental issues than a patient may have had to start.
Dentist-Guided Treatments
The popularity and effectiveness of Invisalign ensure that there will be copycat treatments. ClearCorrect is the largest competitor to Invisalign, and there are also many other dentist-guided treatments. While Hinsdale Dentistry believes that Invisalign is the best option for creating a beautiful smile, other treatments are not necessarily inadequate as long as they are managed by a skilled and trained professional. Any orthodontic treatment should always be guided and overseen by a licensed dentist or orthodontist.
Direct-To-Consumer Aligners
One of the newer options for clear aligner therapy is direct-to-consumer or DIY treatments. Brands, including Smile Direct Club and Candid Co., are both defined as direct-to-consumer treatments. These companies create clear aligners to straighten your teeth without ever seeing a dentist. While it may seem like a time-saving option to cut out the dentist, this can be extremely dangerous, and the treatment is entirely unmonitored.
Why Choose Invisalign
There are many reasons why we think Invisalign is the best option for discreetly straightening smiles. Hinsdale Dentistry loves that we can offer our patients the most proven and effective treatment option available.
Your Invisalign treatment comes with significant benefits, including:
The longest, most successful history. Invisalign was the first clear aligner therapy. Dentists and orthodontists have been utilizing Invisalign to straighten teeth for decades successfully. Invisalign has continuously improved the predictability of movements required to perfect a smile.
Most dental providers. Because it has been around the longest, Invisalign has the most dental providers in the world. There are more Invisalign providers than any other type of clear aligner therapy.
Most advanced technology. From their three-dimensional scanning technology to the treatment software used to produce the aligners, Invisalign is the most advanced treatment option available.
High-quality education for providers. Providers must complete a certification process that involves a high standard of education to straighten smiles for their patients with Invisalign. Continual webinars, classes, and conferences are also available and encouraged for those offering Invisalign.
Skillfully trained lab technicians. Aligntech (the company that makes Invisalign) employs orthodontic lab technicians with the highest level of skill to work with each and every dentist and orthodontist on every single Invisalign case. These highly-skilled lab technicians are able to predict tooth movements and advise dentists and orthodontists with difficult and complex cases.
NEVER Attempt DIY Teeth Straightening
Only a licensed dentist or orthodontist will have the education and training necessary to safely and predictably move teeth. The internet is full of wild ideas of different ways someone can straighten their teeth themselves. These ideas are also accompanied by horror stories of people who attempted to move their own teeth and caused so much damage that they had teeth actually fall out. Attempting to straighten your teeth on your own puts yourself at risk, and the “savings” of DIY treatments can lead to expensive corrective dentistry.
Contact Hinsdale Dentistry from the start for an Invisalign provider that has experience with straightening smiles. We can help you to create a beautiful smile with Invisalign!